Grants
Applying for Grants
Please check first that you are eligible under our criteria for a grant. You can
email, write or telephone for advice, giving brief details of the course you are
taking or planning to take.
Applications
are accepted from December for the following year. Applications received by the
first deadline of 31st March will be considered in May and may stand a better chance
of success.
It's important to apply early if you are already on a course and seeking funding
for future years. If you have not finalised your course until later in the summer
you can still apply in April and May, and these applications will be considered
in June.
We will continue to consider late applications through June and July, but as most
of our funds will have been allocated only a few priority applications can be approved
at this stage.
To save costs, we cannot acknowledge the receipt of application forms. The Grants
Committee considers the great majority of applications which meet the criteria,
and you will normally hear in May or June the result of your application.
Grants for individuals
The Foundation makes individual grants mainly to those training in the United Kingdom
to be teachers, with a priority to teaching Religious Education. We always take
into account the financial circumstances and needs of the student. If funds are
available we also make grants to students on other first degree courses and some
further education courses who have particular financial difficulties. We cannot
make grants to those taking courses specifically for other careers, such as accountancy,
business, law, medicine, and veterinary studies. The value of the grants we make
normally prevents us from helping students assessed as overseas students because
of the very high fees and costs involved, but we will consider those who have almost
completed their course but are in danger of failing through lack of funds.
Priorities and Criteria
We make grants in the following categories for study in the United Kingdom, with
priority given to Religious Education courses.
- students and teaching assistants taking teaching qualifications*, or first degrees
leading to teaching.
- teachers, teaching assistants and others in an educational capacity seeking professional
development through full-time or part-time courses.
- those undertaking research related to the practice of Religious Education in schools
or further education
- students taking other first degree courses*, or courses in further education.
- others involved in teaching and leading in voluntary, non-statutory education, including
those concerned with adult and Christian education.
* Grants are not usually awarded for the first year of a three or four year course,
but exceptions may be made for mature students.
We also make small grants for gap year projects with an educational focus, but only
to those whose home or place of study is in the Dioceses of Chelmsford and St Albans
(approximately Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, and the London Boroughs
of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge & Waltham Forest). We
do not have sufficient funds to help gap year students in other parts of the UK.
The following are not normally eligible for grants:
- Teachers who intend moving out of the profession.
- Those training for ordination or mission, or clergy who wish to improve their own
qualifications, unless they are also involved in teaching in schools.
- Those taking courses in counselling, therapy, or social work.
- Training for other professions, such as accountancy, business, law, or medicine.
- Courses or visits abroad, including "gap" year courses (except as above)
- The education of children at primary or secondary school.
- Those training to teach English as an additional language
Applications which are clearly excluded by the criteria will NOT be considered and
may not receive a reply.
All grants to individuals are made on an annual basis to enable the Trustees to
help the maximum numbers of students. As a result if you are still in difficulties
after you have received your first grant, and wish to be considered for help in
subsequent years, then a new application will need to be made. Please contact the
Secretary at info@hockerillfoundation.org.uk
for an application form.
To apply simply complete the application form that you can download on our
links and documents page.
Grants for Organisations
The Foundation makes grants to organisations and corporate bodies associated with
education on Christian principles. We recognise that there is a religious dimension
to all education, but the trustees would expect any activity, project or research
they support to be likely to be of real benefit to Religious Education and/or the
Church's educational work. They will give priority to imaginative new projects
which will enhance the Church's contribution to higher and further education
and/or promote aspects of Religious Education in schools.
The Foundation may make grants to organisations renewable for up to three years,
or occasionally a maximum of five years, subject to the trustees being satisfied
annually that the grant has been used satisfactorily. Grants for the funding of
research or the appointment of staff may be paid by instalments and are subject
to funds being available. The trustees will monitor research or the progress of
a project as appropriate, and will expect a progress report at least annually. They
shall also be entitled to ask for a line of credit in the final report of a research
project.
The Foundation will NOT make grants for the following:
- General appeals for funds.
- "Bricks and mortar" building projects.
- Purposes that are the clear responsibility of another body
The application form for a Corporate grant can be downloaded on our
links and documents page and should be completed and returned by 31st March
each year. It is not possible to consider late applications in this category.
Diocesan grants (Chelmsford and St.Albans)
The Foundation allocates a significant proportion of its funding each year to support
the Church's educational work within these two dioceses with which it is historically
linked.
The Diocesan Boards of Education apply for funds each year, but other Boards, Councils,
Committees, Deaneries, Parishes and Institutions within the Dioceses of St Albans
and Chelmsford can also apply for these grants. You should discuss a possible
application with the appropriate Diocesan Director of Education prior to submitting it to your Diocesan Bishop.
The application form for a Diocesan grant can be downloaded on our
links and documents page, requires the signature of the appropriate Diocesan
Bishop, and should be completed and returned to him well before 31st March each
year, so that he can forward it to the Foundation by 31st March.
It is not possible to consider late applications in this category.